It’s thought the Teesside developer will spend around £3m bringing the hall and stables back to its former glory with some modern day additions, including cinema rooms, a gym, swimming pool and saunas.

Rumours have been circulating for months that heart-throb thespian Tom Hardy, who is married to stunning Teesside actress Charlotte Riley, was moving in.

Geoff was asked months ago if the famous actor had snapped up the Victorian bolthole, set in 13-acres of stunning grounds...but he didn’t even know who he was.

And Geoff has confirmed he’s “definitely not” planning to sell his new pad to Tom Hardy or any other A-lister once all the work is completed.

Geoff Hogg, left, and Tom Hardy

He said: “Any Hollywood superstar would love Upsall Hall as it is a fantastic building with loads of character and history.

“That is why I have bought it and am restoring the property to make it my family home.

“I could see why Tom Hardy might want to have a home on Teesside, it’s a fantastic place with areas of real beauty.

“That’s why I choose to live and work here.”

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But Upsall Hall could easily have become a hotel, wedding or spa destination.

Former owner Redcar & Cleveland Council marketed it for other uses a few years back, in an attempt to ease the burden of a £100,000-a-year security and electricity bill after the building became derelict.

Upsall Hall in Nunthorpe (Image: Peter Reimann)

The hall was built in 1875 by one of the foremost distributors of iron ore in the world at the time, John George Swan, who founded Middlesbrough’s Cargo Fleet Ironworks.

The Grade II listed pile was designed in the French Renaissance style and described in sales literature as an “attractive period building and grounds” located in “the affluent Nunthorpe area.”

The entire site had belonged to the council since 1974, and also included more modern buildings such as disused café and glasshouses.